Comments on: Bill Polian claims "not a lot of confusion" on Calvin Johnson rule

By: drbob1117

drbob1117 — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 21:00:50 +0000

Pretty damn arrogant for Polian and all the others that think that their absurd rule is the way it should be. Newsflash for the douches on the competition committee: Football was played for years and years and years before you and the other current idiots ( like Jeff Fisher) joined the committee, and everyone knew what a catch was when they saw one. That’s because it followed logically from all of the other football rules; if you have clear possesion of the ball ( not juggling) and your butt, or knee, or two feet,or back or stomach is on the ground , and it didn’t get fielded on the bounce ( like a ‘trap’ in baseball) it’s a catch. They never needed to clarify or change the rule. I guess they thought was that instant replay would justify the rule, that all of the waved off catches would look like drops; instead the replay has only underlined how stupid the rule is; like with Clavin Johnson’s catch.

By: rarson

rarson — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 13:13:38 +0000

It’s not the rule that is causing confusion, it’s the application of it and the NFL’s subsequent excuses for why they blew a call.

By: Tinbender

Tinbender — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 19:08:54 +0000

Any rule that causes this much confusion and arguments is a Bad Rule. Period.

By: Lucky5927

Lucky5927 — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 13:09:18 +0000

KatManDon’t,
Its funny that you state a rule is designed to get rid of controversy, but yet, it is creating even more. Sure Johnson tried to get up quickly and used the ball to propel himself up. But to hold a ball in your hands and not have it move on centimeter while a defender is covering you, two feet hit the ground, part of your leg, your butt, and your arm (Causing many opportunities for the ball to vibrate and demonstrate a lack of control), and yet the ball does not move. THAT IS A CATCH! I am sorry that your 1/4 brain can not rationalize what us “half-brained” people obviously saw. And for the record… you and Bill Polian both can come off your high horses and accept the fact that their are fans, refs, players, and other people who know football inside and out, who feel it was a catch. Such arogance to assume you are so wise and everyone else is not is a joke in itself. I bet you also pause your Madden game and view the replay after a challenged call to see if the computer ref was correct.

By: godofwine

godofwine — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 11:31:48 +0000

If you are able to palm the ball with one hand for the amount of time that Calvin Johnson did then I would rule that that is possession. If I tried to palm a basketball it would slip. I would never be able to do it for even .25 seconds, much less as long as Calvin Johnson did.
I expected Polian to say what he said, which is the sad thing about the replay reviewon NFLN. Nobody wants to say, “Look. The ref screwed up. Next time he won’t make that mistake again. I can guarantee you that he won’t be reffing the Super Bowl this year.” No. What we got out of Polian was a tried and true “company man answer” and that isn’t what we wanted. We wanted honesty. If honesty promotes controversy, so be it. The company answer actually serves you worse than honesty does in the long run because the fans know that they can’t trust you to tell the truth and say you screwed up when you screwed up.

By: rarson

rarson — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 09:53:39 +0000

“I saw the play live and knew it wasn’t a catch.”
You must have been sitting too far away on the opposite side of the stadium, because it clearly was. Even the official standing right next to the catch saw that it was.

By: Katmanduu

Katmanduu — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 04:37:59 +0000

GREAT rule. And it does make officiating easier. I saw the play live and knew it wasn’t a catch. Just like they tell D-Linemen: “stay on your feet”, Johnson should have stayed on his feet, and this wouldn’t be an issue. When you go to the ground, this can happen. The rule is fine, Johnson hotdogged it a tad too early, and the rule does not need to be changed. If it is, like most of you loser yahoos with half a brain want, then it’s just going to open the door for future controversy, which is what the rule is supposed to get rid of to begin with….

By: J. Clayton

J. Clayton — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 02:21:04 +0000

Replay has turned the NFL queer.

By: miamichalupa13

miamichalupa13 — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 01:47:33 +0000

These posts confirm my motto: People are stupid.
If you don’t like the rules as they are written, stop watching the NFL, or buy a team and get yourself a seat on the competition committee.
@ OWUMD: Thank you for giving me faith that there is at least one person left on this site that isn’t deaf, dumb, blind and stupid….I was beginning to think I was the only person that realizes the rules are the rules, regardless of your opinion of them.
——
Regardless of YOUR opinion, we have the power to change them. As consumers of this product, we DO have a say in things. Why do you think the NBA, NHL, and NFL have all enacted rule changes in recent years that help increase scoring? Because WE wanted more scoring. By blowing up message boards like this one, we have as much impact as anyone.
We did not like that Peyton Manning was watching from the sidelines with his hands in his pocket while Philip Rivers marched down the field to beat him in ’08. People didn’t like that the Colts never got a chance for a rebuttle, and the NFL responded by reviewing the issue in the offseason.
Keep whining, bitching, and moaning, people. Because in the words of the immortal Capitan Planet, “The power is yours!”

By: Lucky5927

Lucky5927 — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 00:40:06 +0000

And, ultimately, Polian said it was Johnson’s mistake to put the ball on the ground, rather than keep it in his hands and show the officials that he had it. Polian said it’s on the receivers to demonstrate to the officials that they’ve completed a catch, and not on the NFL to change the rule.
—————————————————-
So Polian is saying that Johnson “had a choice” and made a mistake? Insinuating that Johnson had to have control to make that mistake. Because if he did not have control, then it wouldn’t be considered a mistake. Polian is talking out of his old azz again. Someone still has a super bowl hangover (or a 3 day old hangover). I wonder if he is wearing Arian Foster underwear today?

By: prophet of the light

prophet of the light — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 23:40:29 +0000

Pollian only knows the rules, because he changes them as he sees fit.

By: Insomniac

Insomniac — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 23:19:31 +0000

I like that. “Show me the ball.” That’s such a simple way to explain it. Get back up holding the ball.

By: BCGreg

BCGreg — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 22:54:31 +0000

IMO, this was a TD. He caught it in the air, landed with 2 feet down, not sure if the defender made contact with him, but he fell on the ground, rolled on his butt and placed the ball on the ground. There was no juggling. If the defender touched Johnson, then he was down by contact anyway. It shouldn’t matter either way.
If the NFL is gonna keep this rule, then they have to also include the runner who tries to score by jumping over the pile in a goal line situation while reaching the ball over the plane of the endzone. How come it’s not a fumble if the ball crosses the goal line but it gets knocked out of the runner’s hand before he hits the ground. The runner didn’t “complete” the play in that instance either. Very inconsistent.
Hey, I’m a Pats fan. The Tuck Rule is bogus. Brady fumbled, but it is a rule in the rulebook. Hey, Polian, it may be a rule, but it doesn’t mean it’s a good one. The refs may have ultimately gotten it right based on the written rule, but it took a victory away from a team that earned one.

By: Waltkowalski

Waltkowalski — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 22:30:33 +0000

Follow the money if you want to know who’s involved in the fix.

By: 1NationRaiderNation

1NationRaiderNation — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 22:11:26 +0000

Hey Bill, do me a favor, and pass your bong this way…..the crap you smoke is a lot better then anything i have ever seen…..
Bill I also need you to know That means that our whole solar system could be, like one tiny atom in the fingernail of some other giant being. This is too much! That means one tiny atom in my fingernail could be–
: Could be one little tiny universe.

By: mookieburns13

mookieburns13 — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 22:08:55 +0000

Lions beat writer on why this was a catch via NFL rule book. Best I've seen so far as to why it was a catch... http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2010/09/why_detroit_lions_fans_should.html

By: sullijo

sullijo — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 22:07:55 +0000

Bill, you’re an idiot.

By: edaily

edaily — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 22:00:52 +0000

WOW! Is there a lot of hate in here or what? I for one don’t have a problem with the rule, the call or with Polian. If they want to change the rule they can. If they do I am sure there will be just as many people who will be ticked with the ruling as a catch and they would be wanting the rule changed again. Whatever. Play football and quit whining!

By: Richm2257

Richm2257 — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 21:59:32 +0000

As a Patriots fan, I have no love for Bill “I’m a hypocritical idiot” Polian, but his lame-a$$ excuse aside, I can’t believe how so many of you morons are calling that a CATCH!
I have watched that play over and over again, and Johnson makes an incredible catch, but then HE DOESN’T HOLD ONTO THE DAMN FOOTBALL! He didn’t “put it down” as many of you – Poilian included – suggest, the damn thing fell out of his grasp as he let it hit the freaking ground! He caught it, started to fall, landed on his left hip, and never tucked the ball into his chest; instead, he extended his arm out – WITH THE BALL IN IT – to break his fall. It gets jarred loose as it hits the ground, he doesn’t maintain posession of the ball, NO CATCH!
How is this so hard for so many of you to see?????

By: Greyt.Chase

Greyt.Chase — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 21:46:34 +0000

Calvin Johnson wasn’t falling when he made the catch. Therefore, nothing mattered after his two feet were in. The fact that he fell after shouldn’t matter.
It was a touchdown.

By: cdallen77

cdallen77 — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 21:39:48 +0000

It’s pretty simple but requires a referee to come change the initial call of a touch down. Watch the replay and you might get distracted by the referee throwing his hands up signaling TD!!!!!!!
Oh but wait, it’s so simple. Let’s me and change what we thought and then review it. Yeah, pretty simple call and 82% of America is wrong!

By: superb owl

superb owl — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 21:33:55 +0000

twas a catch.
either yer eyes were right, or a convoluted rule book doesnt need fixing.
we all know why polian is on the rules / competition committee, and it isnt for the good of the game.

By: forthelove

forthelove — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 21:28:33 +0000

I’m with Polian. Quit trying to show off how you can catch the ball with one hand and you would have had a touchdown and the game.
Or here’s a thought Calvin, you showboat catching the ball with one hand, and then show you’re a commoner by using your hands to get back to your feet. Just bounce up like a G that catches touchdown passes with one hand and you’ve got a touchdown and the game.
Point: showboat all you want, but be prepared to cost your team every now and then when it doesn’t work out.

By: Jay16

Jay16 — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 21:24:09 +0000

Man, this guy is an idiot.
If the rule was so clear then how come the Colts challenged the Lance Moore catch for the 2 point conversion in the SuperBowl.
I’m starting to think Bill is out of touch.

By: rarson

rarson — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 21:24:07 +0000

“if he had just cradled the ball per the rules.”
No, sorry, the rule doesn’t say a damn thing about cradling the ball. At all.

By: rarson

rarson — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 21:22:47 +0000

“A rule is a rule.”
The call of the play (incomplete pass) was incorrect AS DEFINED BY THE RULE. If you actually read the rule, and watch the play, it was CLEARLY a complete pass.
People that are saying he “obviously” dropped the ball are delusional.

By: JDMP

JDMP — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 21:18:20 +0000

The Lions just want become a winning franchise like the Colts of course blowhard bill is gonna try to hold them down.

By: Linejudge

Linejudge — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 21:16:00 +0000

The key to this play is NOT the end zone, the key is that he went TO THE GROUND. GODD&MNIT……pay attention

By: Linejudge

Linejudge — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 21:12:21 +0000

@ Smoke&Mirrors
Ask Polian this: In what other level of the game of football would that catch not be a touchdown? Answer: None.
Wrong. Correct Answer: NCAA
————————————————–
What a lot of you don’t realize is that there are rules and then there are rules interpretations. Interpretations are designed to cover situations that are not expressly word for word covered by the rules b/c it is impossible to cover every situation imaginable within the rules themselves. It is the interpretation of the catch/no catch definition that covers going to the ground during a catch (I will admit that my interpretation of this situation is from an NCAA standpoint and based on NCAA rules, not NFL, but I have to assume the same applies in the NFL since most of their philosophies are trickling down to the NCAA thanks to Bill Carollo).
I challenge anyone out there to design a better rule with less gray area than you must maintain possession of the ball if you go to the ground when making a catch (I’m paraphrasing, please don’t freak out).

By: cdallen77

cdallen77 — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 21:08:51 +0000

Yeah, then why did the referee signal TD right away and then have it changed you jack a$$!